Northwest Missouri soldier dies in Afghanistan

A 20-year-old northwest Missouri man has died during fighting in Afghanistan.

The Department of Defense announced Sunday that Pvt. Jonathon Michael Dean Hostetter of Humphreys was killed Friday by an improvised explosive device. He was a combat engineer who joined the Army in September 2012.

The department says 23-year-old Army Spc. Kenneth Clifford Alvarez, of Santa Maria, Calif., also died in the explosion.

Both men were assigned to the 40th Mobility Augmentation Company, 2nd Engineer Battalion.

Hostetter was stationed at Fort Leonard Wood before his deployment to Afghanistan in April. It was his first deployment. He is survived by his wife.